Special Coverage

Draper sends out multiple contenders

EmailTrainer Carl Draper should continue his month-long hot streak on Saturday at Zia Park when he sends out contenders in the trials to the Grade 2, $260,000 Hobbs America Futurity and the Grade 2, $137,000 Hobbs America Derby.

Draper won his second Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity on Labor Day with Heartswideopen and won the Grade 2 James Issac Hobbs Stakes last Saturday at Zia.

The Draper-trained Run Perry Run, Jess Destined, and Jess Kicken each drew into the second of two derby trials.

Run Perry Run should be ready for a big effort. He thrives on the Zia track, and won last year's Hobbs America Futurity. He is making his fourth 2007 start and comes off a troubled eighth in the Grade 1 All American Derby. Two starts back, he defeated multiple Grade 1 winner Okey Dokey Fantasy and Southwest Juvenile Championship winner Remember Me Rose in their All American Derby trial.

Jess Destined won the Grade 1 West Texas Futurity and Jess Kicken raced in last year's Hobbs America Futurity.

Meeting Draper's threesome is The Crawfish, third in the Rainbow Derby and fifth in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million.

Draper's Hobbs America Futurity trial entrants don't have those stakes credentials, also true of many other trial entrants.

Shabouh, although a maiden, may have the most potential. He has been inconsistent, but has shown flashes of stakes-class speed in most of his races.

Draper will also saddle Ruidoso Juvenile fourth-place finisher Stolis MVP and DM Shatanooga, a full brother to the Draper-trained 2005 world champion DM Shicago.

All American Juvenile winner White or Wrong, trained by Sleepy Gilbreath, makes his first appearance in the futurity trials since a three-quarter-length win on Sept. 3. He raced the 440 yards in 21.35 seconds for his first career victory.

Gotta Get makes quick return

Champion aged gelding Gotta Get returns to racing on just seven days' rest as the strong favorite in the $50,000 New Mexico Breeders Quarter Horse Championship at The Downs at Albuquerque on Sunday.

Last weekend, Gotta Get finished a close fifth, beaten just a neck for the win, in the James Issac Hobbs Stakes at Zia. The Breeders Championship is one of the few stakes for New Mexico-breds weighted by age. If the race was a handicap, Gotta Get, who carries 124 pounds, would likely be assigned a significantly higher impost.

This year, Gotta Get has four wins - including two stakes - from seven starts.

Kipas Flit, A Mere Fame meet

Kipas Flit and A Mere Fame each try for their third straight win when they meet in the $18,000 Belmont Shore Handicap for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

Each mare raced to recent wins in conditioned allowance and high-priced claiming races.